Liesl Tesch AM PLY, one of Australia’s most accomplished Paralympians and a Basketball NSW Hall of Fame Legend will be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. Recognised not only for her extraordinary athletic achievements but also for her influential role in promoting disability sports and creating pathways for future generations, Tesch stands among Australia’s most celebrated athletes and role models.
This year’s Inductees include Olympic and Paralympic champions, renowned sports administrators, and individuals celebrated nationally and internationally for their integrity, courage, and contributions to Australian sport.
For Tesch, this latest honour highlights a career marked by resilience, versatility, and groundbreaking achievements. Her journey began with a mountain bike accident at age 19, which left her as an incomplete paraplegic. During her rehabilitation, a physiotherapist recognised her natural talent and encouraged her to try wheelchair basketball. Just two years later, she was named to the New South Wales state team, and in 1990, Tesch made her debut on the international stage, competing in the World Championships for Australia’s national team, the Gliders.
Tesch’s wheelchair basketball career spanned five Paralympic Games, where she won three medals: silver at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Games, and bronze at Beijing in 2008. Her skill and tenacity earned her a place in the All-Star Five at the 1994 Gold Cup and the title of Most Valuable Player at the 1998 Gold Cup. Beyond her Australian accolades, Tesch became the first woman to play wheelchair basketball professionally in Europe, competing with men’s teams across Spain, Italy, and France.
Her accomplishments in basketball were only the beginning. Following her retirement from the sport, Tesch pivoted to sailing and, alongside teammate Daniel Fitzgibbon, achieved Paralympic gold in Mixed Two Person Sailing at the London 2012 Games, repeating the feat in Rio 2016.
Tesch’s legacy extends well beyond her athletic triumphs. Off the court and water, she co-founded Sport Matters, an international organization using sport to empower and uplift disadvantaged communities. Recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014, Tesch was also elected as the Member for Gosford in the NSW Parliament in 2017, where she continues to advocate for disability sports and serve as a co-chair for the Parliamentary Friends of Basketball.
Her induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame will be celebrated at the Induction and Awards Gala Dinner on Monday, 18 November, at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne. This honour solidifies Tesch’s legacy not only as an exceptional athlete but as an enduring inspiration in Australian sport.
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